Amoeba Split, Spain

Canterbury style; Jazz rock

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Latest: Todos los Animales son Iguales (2024). Best I can tell it's only available on LP and only 100 exist. No CD or Digital. Seems like a lot of work for 100 people (if that)? Oh well, I'm sure it will eventually turn up.

Second Split (2016)

Amoeba Split are a band from Galicia, in the far northwest of Spain, who play a decidedly UK form of progressive rock: That of the Canterbury movement. Second Split is appropriately enough the band's sophomore effort. It's been 6 years since their debut, and they're now missing one key component - the female voice of Maria Toro. And with that, the late Canterbury sounds of National Health have fled the scene. No matter, as the all instrumental Amoeba Split have stayed the course, and have arguably released an even better album, demonstrating their experience over style. Opener 'Clockwise' is a clear homage to Soft Machine's Third, at that perfect point in 1970 where psychedelic, progressive rock, and jazz meet. Further in the album, 'Backwards all the Time' is once again a tribute to Soft Machine, this time emulating their 1971 sound, and thus tilts more towards the jazz side of the equation. 'Those Fading Hours' blends Canterbury with David Cross like violin, that gives an odd King Crimson vibe, which is unique and very satisfying. 'About Life, Memories and Yesteryears' once again marries Canterbury sounds with something unusual - this time symphonic progressive rock. Perhaps even a trace of Genesis can be heard. But the best for me was 'Sundial Tick' where the band finally demonstrates a bit of their native heritage, though further east towards Catalonia. And hear they blend their trademark sound with that of the classic Gotic album, and is truly splendid. Overall, a fantastic second album, and hopefully we hear from the band more frequently than every six years.

---8/12/16

Dance of the Goodbyes (2010)

Amoeba Split are one of two current Spanish bands (that I'm aware of anyway) playing in the Canterbury styled jazz rock space. The other is the more known Planeta Imaginario. Of the two, I'd say Amoeba Split are the more purest when referring to the classic bands of Soft Machine and National Health. The instrumentation is right out of the 70's: Hammond organ,piano, Mellotron, Mini-Moog, flute, sax, guitar, bass and drums. The major differentiator here is the female vocals, which are admittedly a bit shrill. Her slightly accented delivery is a bit odd, but I have a feeling that will add to the charm on repeated listens. She's really not that far from some of the early 70's shrieks of Sandrose and Joy Unlimited. But it is unusual in this setting, where we're used to the soft affected tones of The Northettes. Amoeba Split score well on both of the style's major attributes - melody and complexity. A no-brainer pickup for fans of the 1970's UK Canterbury scene.

---4/24/11

4/24/11 (new entry)

October Equus / Angel Ontalva ~ Spain

Avant Prog; Progressive rock; Jazz rock

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Latest (October Equus): Noches Blancas, Luces Rojas (2022)

Latest (Angel Ontalva): Persian Courtyard (2024)

Angel Ontalva is also heavily involved with Vespero and an offshoot group Seaorm. I have Vespero listed separately on UTR.

UMR review page for October Equus and Angel Ontalva

3/12/12 (new entry)

Planeta Imaginario, Spain

Canterbury style; jazz rock

To the best of my knowledge, Planeta Imaginario does not have an internet presence. You can find samples via the labels and other sources.

Latest: Planeta Imaginario IV (2024). This according to Wayside. Cuneiform was their last label, so it's possible it will be released by them.

Biomasa (2008)

This is an album I've gone back and forth on, but I'm firmly in the pro camp now. For their debut I wrote that they sound every bit like a second generation Canterbury band from the late 1970s. That observation is where the breakdown occurs on Biomasa. This really isn't a Canterbury album. Gone are those warm melodies and insouciant touches. In its place is a more cerebral jazz rock, more dissonant but creative. It is interesting that if you put on a prog rock hat and listen to an album that is jazz, it doesn't sound so great. Switch to a jazz hat, and a different perspective reveals itself. The hype strip doesn't help much either, also indicating an "attractive Mediterranean sound" while listing National Health as but one Canterbury reference. Naw, none of that here. It's much more "rock jazz" if that makes sense. Favorite track is 'La Caja Negra'. An excellent album that takes multiple spins to penetrate.

---4/8/23

¿Qué Me Dices? (2004)

Out of nowhere in 2004, arrived Planeta Imaginario, a band who seemed to not be aware of the last 25 years of music before entering the studio. Lucky us. Sounding every bit like a second generation Canterbury band from the late 1970s, Planeta Imaginario absorbed and filtered the best parts out of Soft Machine and Nucleus. The 8 piece band - including 2 sax players, trumpet, trombone, Hammond Organ, Rhodes electric piano and the usual rock band plus guests on flute and percussion - created a most beautiful album from a most beautiful form of melodic jazz rock (Canterbury). And the amplified guitar recalls the greats from the 70s past. I also love the horn charts, well composed and played. It's hard not to think of National Health while listening to this fine debut. Spain had no Canterbury tradition prior to this album, and Planeta Imaginario more or less imported it for the first time (and followed also later by the great Amoeba Split). A superb album, that still sadly appears to be off everyone's radar. Let's see if we can get it a bit of recognition anyway. The band later signed to the prominent Cuneiform label where presumably more fans migrated their way. 

---1/4/16

Other albums heard: Optical Delusions (2011)

8/8/16 (new entry)

Sherish, Spain

Rock Andaluz

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Latest album: Escampa (2022)

Recommendation from a friend. Not a lot of recent bands playing in this style, so I'm most curious. Love the logo!

10/12/23 (new entry)

Aurora Clara, Spain

Jazz fusion

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Latest release: Dreams (2023)

Recommendation from a friend.

10/12/23 (new entry)

On the Raw, Spain

Jazz fusion; Instrumental prog

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Latest release: Climbing the Air (2019). New album entitled Gravity was announced back in March (2023).

---UMR notes

Climbing the Air (2019)

Modern albums who make a claim to jazz fusion usually don't interest me much these days. But On the Raw play a type of instrumental progressive rock with jazz fusion influences. It's interesting that I had just digested the Scope albums again via the new CD reissues, as On the Raw takes a similar approach. They used to call this music "Euro Rock" back in the late 70s and 80s. The compositions have a focus on melody as well as complexity. On the Raw are a full 5 piece including saxophone and flute, along with some guests on trumpet, violin, and female vocals, so the palette set is varied. While certainly a retro mindset prevails, and the instrumentation is decidedly from a past era, the album doesn't really sound like it's from the 70s. I'm scrambling to come up with a modern band that has traversed the same territory as On the Raw has done here. It rocks harder than fellow countrymen Herba d'Hameli for example. Maybe the debut album by Ingranaggi della Valle is a good guidepost. Sure, we're in obscuroland, but that's where On the Raw resides.

8/6/20; 6/17/23 (new entry)

El Circulo de Willis, Spain

News: El Circulo de Willis are active and playing live shows in their native Spain. No word on a new album. I've only heard the latest from 2015 called Retales, but I was mightily impressed with the music and will certainly explore their back catalog as opportunity affords.

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Location: Madrid

Overview: El Circulo de Willis play an exciting instrumental progressive music driven by flute and guitar, with some sax, synthesizer, and metal touches. Like a blend of Ozric Tentacles, Naikaku, and Dream Machine with a bit of Kong thrown in.

Kotebel ~ Spain

Progressive rock; Avant prog

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UMR review page for Kotebel

11/15/12 (new entry)

Neverness, Spain

News: Neverness has reformed and started recording in September 2019. No news since. Last check: February 15, 2020.

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Location: Valladolid (Northwest Spain)

Overview: Neverness are a band who are heavily influenced by mid to late 70s Pink Floyd.

UMR notes

Herba d’Hameli ~ Spain

Progressive rock

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Latest: Interiors (2015)

UMR review page for Herba d'Hemeli

10/6/12 (new entry)

One of These Days & Thee Heavy Random Tone Colour Lab, Spain

News: Nothing new since 2014.  Last check: 9/4/23

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One of These Days & Thee Heavy Random Tone Colour Lab, a band that is certainly in contention for longest group name, are a new space rock / retro prog band from Spain. Specifically they are from A Coruña, located in the far northwest province of Galicia. Now that blew a cobweb off a brain cell, and sure enough, another space rock band came from the exact same town nearly 20 years ago: Kozmic Muffin. Who remembers them? They were one of the bright lights of the mid 90s psychedelic progressive scene. Not sure if One of These Days has any personal relationship with the group, but obviously the region has a propensity towards space rock acts. And there are some similarities in their music.

File One of These Days into the camp that believes music had no reason to go past 1975. You won't get much of an argument from me on that front. The all-analog instrumentation, composition style, and vinyl-only release - in a gatefold cover with lyrics and recording details of course - all point to 1971. Nektar's Journey to the Centre of the Eye or Pink Floyd's 'Atom Heart Mother' suite will certainly set your expectations correctly. The latter right down to the use of a Euphonium. Other modern day (lol) instrument call-outs include Farfisa Compact Duo, Vox Continental, Hammond Porta B, Minimoog D, fuzz bass, theremin, hurdy-gurdy... oh you get the idea. There is only one track, broken into 4 movements, split evenly across both sides of the vinyl with sub titles such as 'Nexus 2CBeautiful Things (including "Gurls & Chloroform")'. Peter Sinfield will be happy to know his legacy is secured. All the right ingredients are in play, and this is clearly a band with their atom heart in the right place. So it's perfect then? Well, no, but it's a great debut. I think the band could work more on the compositions themselves, and perhaps not rely solely on the same music that was created with these instruments 40 years ago. The beauty of the original early 70s movement is that it was way too short of a time frame to fully explore all the possibilities. And while numerous bands of the last 25 years have tried, there are still millions of possibilities. Especially when you load your studio up with only pre-1976 gear. In fact the biggest surprise came from the sequencer use on the 'Nexus...' track mentioned above - that seemed plucked more from Tangerine Dream's Phaedra rather than Dark Side of the Moon. It provided an excellent contrast to the full band performance and psychedelic guitar soloing. I think it's something Edgar Froese would have enjoyed (back then anyway).

So, in the end, we have a very exciting development. Let's see if they do more with the concept!

12/19/13 (new entry)